Lickin the Kitchen

            On Monday morning I finished memorizing “Chasseur d'ivoire” (Ivory Hunter) by Serge Gainsbourg. I found that some chords for it have been posted but I wanted to finish revising my translation before I transcribe them. There was a verse that's bugging me because I couldn't find a rhyme for it. The speaker is saying something like, “Dream trader take me away like a shipment of arms. My canoe will capsize in the rapids of your tears.” 

            I weighed 87.6 kilos before breakfast.

            Around midday, I removed all the mugs and utensils that hang from the underside of the kitchen shelves. I washed under the shelves, all of the hooks, and the wall tiles between the counter and the shelves. I plugged my hairdryer into the electrical outlet on the wall and turned it on. Then I went out into the hall and flicked the breakers for my apartment until the sound of the dryer went off. That way I was safe to wash the outlet thoroughly without getting electrocuted. The wall is very white now but I still have to wash everything that hangs from the hooks. Then I'll give the kitchen counter a clean and after that move down to cupboards and drawers under the counter and the sink. I can give that a start but probably won't have time to finish it until springtime. 

            I weighed 87.2 kilos before lunch.

            In the afternoon I took a bike ride to Bloor and Dovercourt. It was quite cold out especially on the way back. I weighed 87.3 kilos when I got home. 

            I edited the video of wires sparking in slow motion and cut it down to about 27 seconds. I only need about 3 seconds and so I'll cut some more tomorrow. 

            I went through a third folder of my writing from my files to sort out any pages that are already digitized. But most of it was writing from the 90s and I only pulled out fourteen pages to throw out. The fourth folder looks like it will be mostly old stuff as well but I think the fifth will have a lot of stuff that I can get rid of. 

            I worked on enhancing my “Anti Gravity's Rainbow” photo, altering the graffiti so it makes more sense and filling in the area around it with the patterns of the bricks the letters occupy. 

            I had a potato with gravy and a piece of chicken while watching the mid-season finale of Star Trek Discovery. This was actually a pretty good one with an ending that makes one look forward to February. 

            SPOILER ALERT!!! 

            Zora announces that she has calculated the coordinates of the source of the dark matter anomaly but she refuses to give them because she is afraid the crew would be at risk if they were to go there.

            Meanwhile an assembly of the members and potential members of the Federation is meeting to determine what to do about the anomaly. Michael is present at the assembly while on Discovery Dr Kovich is meeting with the ranking officers to determine whether or not to extract Zora's consciousness from the ship's computer. One reason to do so is that Starfleet prohibits fully sentient integrated units. Stamets is at first very much for that option because he finds Zora's power over the crew when motivated by emotions to be terrifying. Zora materializes a device they could use to extract her consciousness but it would effectively kill her. 

            At the assembly the radical; scientist Tarka intervenes and offers his solution to the problem of the dark matter anomaly. He's developed a device that would destroy it. Michael argues that such action runs counter to the ethical standards at the foundation of the Federation and besides, destroying the anomaly could be seen by the advanced, powerful, and unknown species behind the anomaly as an act of war. 

            During a break for the members to deliberate before voting, Tarka reveals to Book that he is from an alternate universe. 

            Stamets offers Zora an argument that trust is a two way street and that she has to respect the crew's decisions about their own safety. This convinces her and she gives the coordinates. Kovich reveals that he had already determined that Zora is not just artificial intelligence but rather a new life form and so she does not fall under the Starfleet restrictions for sentient integrated units. He says that if Stamets had insisted on Zora's extraction he would have recommended that Stamets be extracted from Discovery. Stamets asks Zora if she would like to join Starfleet and she says she would. 

            Before the assembly votes Book addresses the members, arguing for destroying the anomaly. Everyone finds it to be a very good speech but I didn't find it very convincing. Then Michael argues for the diplomatic approach. The votes are cast and diplomacy wins. Shortly after that Book and Tarkas go rogue and take the device in Book's ship to go and destroy the anomaly. The last four episodes of the season will involve Michael chasing down and trying to stop her lover Book.